


First Dates and Ugly Sweaters

by ByTheAngell (SomeLittleInfamy)



Series: Advent Calendar Prompts [9]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Party, Ugly Sweaters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:20:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28012302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeLittleInfamy/pseuds/ByTheAngell
Summary: Raphael agrees to meet Simon at Magnus' Ugly Sweater Party... but after a bit of doubt, Simon hopes he'll show.
Relationships: Magnus Bane & Raphael Santiago, Simon Lewis/Raphael Santiago
Series: Advent Calendar Prompts [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2037739
Comments: 2
Kudos: 44





	First Dates and Ugly Sweaters

**Author's Note:**

> Advent Calendar Day 11 Prompt: Ugly Sweater

Simon arrives at Magnus’ loft and looks eagerly around the room for something, frowning when he doesn’t see whatever it is.

“Expecting someone?” Magnus asks, coming up beside him.

“Raphael,” Simon says, doing another quick sweep of the room. Everyone looks a little different in the sea of hideous sweaters, but Simon thinks he should be able to spot the other vampire if he was here. “He isn’t here yet, is he?”

Magnus quirks an eyebrow, looking amused. “Raphael told you he was coming?”

“Yeah,” Simon says, now sounding hesitant. “Why?”

Magnus doesn’t lose the curious look on his face. “I’ve been trying to get him to come to these parties for _decades_ ,” Magnus says. “I wouldn’t get my hopes up.”

Simon only nods. He doesn’t want to think that Raphael would lie to him about something as stupid as showing up to a party, but now the doubt is there. Magnus has known Raphael so much longer - knows him so much _better_ \- than Simon, after all… and maybe Simon was a little too obvious in his flirting and scared Raphael away.

Thankfully, Simon doesn’t have to linger in his doubt for very long. About fifteen minutes later the door opens and closes, and Raphael slips into the party. It’s obvious he’s doing his best to go unnoticed but that fails for two reasons - one, because Simon’s attention is _always_ drawn to Raphael in a room, and two, because with his black suit jacket he sticks out like a sore thumb.

Simon makes his way over immediately and spots the bright colors of a sweater popping out from under the jacket.

“That’s cheating!” Simon exclaims.

“You said I had to wear the hideous sweater, not that I couldn’t put anything over it,” Raphael argues.

“But the whole _point_ is seeing it,” Simon says. “It doesn’t count if you cover the whole thing up!”

“I could always leave…” Raphael points out, though the way he says it implies that the threat is empty and mostly meant to drive home the fact that he isn’t going to change his mind on this. It’s a tone Simon knows well, and he decides to take the win of Raphael showing up at all.

Simon shakes his head but the smile on his face is fond. After all, Raphael showed up, and he obviously showed up just for Simon’s benefit - he can hardly fault him for the jacket.

“No, stay!” Simon takes Raphael by the hand and drags him over to where the drinks are, which include some curious blood-based concoctions of Magnus’ creation. It’s instinctive, to reach out for Raphael and keep him close in the crowd, and Simon doesn’t even realize he’s doing it.

“You _actually_ showed up,” Magnus’ voice sounds from beside them.

“I told you he would,” Simon declares proudly.

“I’m a man of my word,” Raphael agrees.

“You must _really_ like him,” Magnus adds to Raphael, now with a devious, teasing glint to his eyes.

“Who?” Simon asks in disbelief, only then realizing that he’s still holding Raphael’s hand. “...me?”

Simon is suddenly a little more aware of the fact that Raphael’s been spending more time with him lately, takes a moment to process that Raphael’s doing things that he wouldn’t even agree to do for _Magnus_... then Simon’s mouth falls open into a silent _“oh”_ of realization.

“I must,” Raphael tells Magnus as if Simon isn’t even there. “If this is what I’m willing to endure.”

“I would resent that if I wasn’t pretty sure it means you like me back and we’re dating now. Are we dating now?” Simon wishes he wasn’t having this conversation while wearing the ugliest article of clothing in his possession.

“I thought-” Raphael starts, but stops and shakes his head. “Nevermind. Yes, Simon. I like you. And yes this is a date.”

“I will hold this party on the same day every year so you can use it to mark your anniversary,” Magnus declares, clearly enjoying this way too much.

Raphael looks offended at the prospect. “Absolutely not,” he says. “I refuse to wear this sweater ever again.”

Simon looks him over and nods. “You’re right, you won’t need this one,” Simon agrees. “We have to get new ones for next year, so we can _match_!”

Simon’s way too excited about the party-turned-date to notice the horrified look of ‘what have I gotten myself into’ Raphael shoots at Magnus before Simon turns to hand him a drink, eager to make this the best first date ever.

**Author's Note:**

> (Find me on [Tumblr](http://bytheangell.tumblr.com) and also on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/By_The_Angell)! <3 )


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